1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an exchange apparatus for exchanging a full cloth roll with a textile wound therearound for an empty cloth roll.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is such a weaving machine as provided in its lower position with an exchange apparatus for exchanging a full cloth roll loaded on a pair of rollers for an empty cloth roll disposed at its upper position (See Japanese Patent Public Disclosure (KOKAI) No. 1-97241 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,970).
These exchange apparatuses consist of a reciprocating member for exerting pressing force to both end portions of the full cloth roll on the pair of rollers to deliver the full cloth roll onto a receiving table in front of the weaving machine, and a carrying device for carrying the empty cloth roll from a neighborhood of the position where the empty cloth roll is disposed to a neighborhood above the pair of rollers and then releasing the carried empty cloth roll onto the rollers.
The carrying device described in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 1-97241 consists of a pair of elevating members each having an opening capable of receiving each end portion of the empty cloth roll, and a vertical guide covering the opening during elevating movement of the elevating member. After receiving in its opening the end portion of the empty cloth roll released from the position where the empty cloth roll is disposed at the highest position that the opening of the elevating member is not covered by the vertical guide, the elevating member descends down to the lowest position. During its descent, the each end portion of the empty cloth roll is held by the elevating member, since the opening of the elevating member is covered by the vertical guide. When the opening of the elevating member reaches the lowest position that the opening is not covered by the vertical guide, the empty cloth roll rolls down at a low speed onto the pair of rollers after the end portion thereof passes through the opening.
Also, the carrying device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,970 consists of a damper arm which has one end portion supported oscillatably and provided with a receiving board for loading the empty cloth roll and which oscillates due to the empty weight of the empty cloth roll when the empty cloth roll is loaded on the receiving board, and a cam member fixed on a reciprocating (oscillating) member for regulating the oscillating movement of the damper arm.
When the oscillating member is oscillated forward and the full cloth roll is delivered onto the receiving table, the empty cloth roll released from its loading position is received for the time being by the receiving board of the damper arm waiting in the upper position. Though the damper arm which received the empty cloth roll would oscillate due to the empty weight of the empty cloth roll, the oscillating movement is prevented by the cam member of the oscillating member in the course of moving forward. Subsequently, when the oscillating member is oscillated in the opposite direction, the damper arm gradually oscillates along the cam surface, and when the cloth roll also gradually descends and reaches a neighborhood of the pair of rollers, the inclination of the receiving board becomes steep, so that the empty cloth roll drops from the receiving board onto the pair of rollers.
The vertical guide of the carrying device described in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 1-97241is also used as the reciprocating member for delivering the full cloth roll, but it is difficult to make the exchange apparatus compact, because of the necessity for the elevating member and its drive member.
Also, in the carrying device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,970, the damper arm is made to oscillate by the empty weight of the empty cloth roll because it dispenses with a drive member specific to drive the damper arm. However, since no measures are taken to prevent the empty cloth roll from falling down from the receiving board, it has such a defect as to fall down by vibration or the like before reaching a position right above the pair of rollers. Further, it requires a space for disposing the damper arm, besides that for disposing the oscillating member.